Prichard's Single Malt Whiskey

I had the pleasure of assisting Mr. Phil Prichard host a tasting at my hotel here in PA. The General Manager of my hotel is a fan of his products, thus he has been up here several times.

Anyway, the last time he was here, he allowed me a sip of a new product of his-- a single-malt Whiskey, matured in both new oak and refill casks.

Take a single malt Irish whiskey, like Bushmills 10-year or Tyrconnell, then give it a more substantial oak presence (but still noticeably less than most bourbons) and you'll get the idea. His product has been distilled in his own custom-made copper pot still that he has been using for his rums, and, recently, his whiskeys.

Overall, I thought it was pretty enjoyable, and can't wait until it's released!

By the way, he's also working on a Tennessee whiskey. He shared a few interesting little secrets about it to me that make me really look forward to sipping bottle after bottle of it, and making Jack Daniels guys turn green with envy!

Re: Prichard's Single Malt Whiskey

The Double Barreled Bourbon is pretty good, but not $50 good and not full case good. Phil didn't even make it, he just took some whiskey he bought from Heaven Hill and re-barreled it.

A couple of years ago I visited their distillery and I got a great tour from Phil Prichard. They were set up in an old country school that had a map on the wall of one of the class rooms that had countries listed that haven't been in existance for many decades. It was a remarkable undertaking made more remarkable by the history of that old country school in the meadows of Tennessee down the road from Jack Daniels.

I enjoy their rums very much. They are truly hand crafted. I would venture a guess that this single malt whiskey will receive as much hard work and dedication as their rums do. As for the Double Barreled Bourbon, he appeared to be of the mind that he wouldn't stop until he had a Tennessee whiskey that even the boys from Kentucky would appreciate.

If you haven't already Col Chuck, their story is worth telling and who better than you to do the job.

Often I am forced to deal with the fact that I prefer bourbon over dealing with facts.

Re: Prichard's Single Malt Whiskey

The Double Barreled Bourbon is pretty good, but not $50 good and not full case good. Phil didn't even make it, he just took some whiskey he bought from Heaven Hill and re-barreled it.

Cowdery,

I think you are correct, at least for the first few years. I didn't probe to get the specifics from Mr. Prichard, but I got the impression that he is now distilling his own juice. It would be hard to get a single-malt from Heaven Hill, it would be way to expensive to import it from Ireland, and I don't know of anyone who distills what he is going to use in his upcoming Tennessee whiskey.

I'll see what I can get out of him next time, but I was left with the impression that he has progressed to distilling his own whiskey, in his own copper pot still.

Btw- it is because of my establishment that the PLCB listed Prichard's bourbon. I work at a hotel not far from Harrisburg, and we purchase it by the case. If it weren't for our general manager's enthusiasm for Mr. Prichard's products, it would probably still be utterly unavailable in PA.

Re: Prichard's Single Malt Whiskey

For all intents and purposes, it is totally unavailable to Pennsylvanians.

Originally Posted by boss302

Cowdery,
Btw- it is because of my establishment that the PLCB listed Prichard's bourbon. I work at a hotel not far from Harrisburg, and we purchase it by the case. If it weren't for our general manager's enthusiasm for Mr. Prichard's products, it would probably still be utterly unavailable in PA.

Re: Prichard's Single Malt Whiskey

I was only referring to the bourbon as being acquired from HH. None of the Double Barrel Bourbon was distilled in Tennessee. I have no doubt that Phil made the malt whiskey. Malt whiskey is relatively easy to make, much easier than bourbon.

Re: Prichard's Single Malt Whiskey

Originally Posted by cowdery

I was only referring to the bourbon as being acquired from HH. None of the Double Barrel Bourbon was distilled in Tennessee. I have no doubt that Phil made the malt whiskey. Malt whiskey is relatively easy to make, much easier than bourbon.

However, HH has made some malt whiskey, experimentally.

Hi Cowdery,

I understand you were referring to the bourbon in your previous statement.

Next time I see him, I'll ask him for more details about the bourbon, and where the distillate comes from, as it is possible that things may have changed recently. He invited me and several other members of our beverage department down to his distillery this Spring.